CADIZ, Ohio — More than 50 residents filled the room Tuesday night, hoping to finally get answers about Cadiz’s ongoing water crisis.
Council members and Ohio EPA officials outlined three possible long-term solutions.
The first would be to connect Cadiz to another water system. That project would take about 18 months and cost between $6 and 12 million.
The second would be to upgrade the village’s current water treatment plant, costing an estimated $10-$15 million and take about two years.
The third option is to build an entirely new water plant. That could cost between $20 and $30 million and take three years or longer.
“It’s not at a level we’d like to see it from the terms of a day-to-day operational point of view,” Ohio EPA representative Amy Klei said. “And we’re gonna continue working with the village to make sure we get there as soon as possible.
“I think we’re seeing improvement by the day here.”
While officials said the water is improving, many residents said they’re still seeing discolored, foul-smelling water and continue to experience skin irritation, rashes, and other problems they believe are linked to it.
Many also questioned why they’re being asked to pay for water they say they can’t use.
“I carry those five-gallon jugs of water to the backyard and wash my hair in the backyard because I don’t want to go around itching, at least not my head, where people feel like I have some kind of bugs,” resident Tonya Shockey said.
“My wife broke out in a terrible rash, so I had to take her to the urgent care,” another resident said. “So, we left and went to Pennsylvania for a week. Well, I asked the neighbors ‘How’s the water?’. She said, ‘It’s a little bit better.’ So, we came home. She took a shower and she broke out again real bad.”
Despite nearly two hours of discussion, many residents said they left feeling more confused than when they arrived.
“So, if you would just speak to us in layman’s terms and truthfully, it would be better,” a resident said. “But we’re getting completely different stories in one hour. It’s changed. That’s why everyone is so frustrated.”
“I feel like, literally like, this is clear as mud,” resident Andrea Tomer-Lewis said. “I think that most of us came here not really having an understanding of what’s going on. I feel like most of us are leaving still not having an understanding of what’s going on.”
The Ohio EPA said it would likely provide the most grant funding if the village chooses to connect to another water system – a plan officials say would also cost the least for residents.
Local leaders are now hoping to secure additional state funding.
“Once it goes down, I will do everything in my power to make sure Columbus knows and the governor knows of what’s going on in Cadiz right now,” 95th District Rep. Ty Moore said.
Cadiz remains on a boil order.